A total of 290 Filipinos from Lebanon have been safely repatriated by the Philippine government via a chartered flight amid the escalating tension in the region, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.
This batch, which arrived in Manila on October 26, consists of 233 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their 13 dependents; and 21 overseas Filipinos and their 23 dependents.
This brings the total to 903 OFWs and 47 dependents repatriated since October last year.
“We stand ready to assist those who are willing to be repatriated. We are encouraging OFWs to avail of the voluntary repatriation program. And sa pag-uwi nila, a whole-of-government approach ang nakahanda, as directed by the President, with unprecedented financial assistance and other forms of support under the Bagong Pilipinas,” Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said.
The Flight MYW9071, arranged by the DMW, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Philippine Embassy in Ankara, Turkiye, took off from Lebanon at 2:00 PM (Beirut time) and made a stopover at Doha, Qatar.
According to the DMW, this initiative is in line with the directives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to evacuate Filipinos “by whatever means” amid the unrest in Lebanon.
The DMW will provide financial aid worth P75,000 each to all repatriates, and additional P75,000 from OWWA, and P20,000 from the DSWD.
Meanwhile, 69 Filipinos are in care of the Migrant Workers Office, temporarily residing in shelters in Beirut.
